Oct 20, 2013

Kale, Lentils & Butternut Squash

And here is a second act from our dear friends kale & parsley. I was stuck with some leftovers from the other day and needed to make yet another vibrantly tasty and healthy salad (if I may say so myself!). This time however, a little heartier (with the addition of lentils) and roasted butternut squash, giving it a nice seasonal pop of colour. Add a dash of cumin for a flavour boost and some depth before sealing it all together with extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.

Simple and quick: diced butternut squash, some chopped onions, salt and olive oil... all go into the oven

You can also play around with the ingredient proportions. For a richer, more filling salad, incorporate more lentils into the mix!

Kale, Lentil & Butternut Squash Salad

2-3 servings

A bunch of kale, chopped

A bunch of parsley, chopped

1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into cubes

1 onion, chopped

1 cup dried, uncooked lentils (+2 cups water)

Cumin

Salt

Extra virgin olive oil

Lemon- freshly squeezed

Preheat oven to 400F/200C. Add the butternut squash cubes and chopped onions into a large bowl. Drizzle with some olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Mix everything gently, transfer onto a baking tray and into the oven for 12-15 mins. Finish with an additional 3-5 minutes on grill/broil mode. Set aside.

In the meantime, you can prep up the lentils. In a pot, add 2 cups of water and the 1 cup of lentils. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low-medium. Cook for 20-25 minutes.

Now- to bring it all together...In a large mixing bowl, add the kale, parsley, roasted butternut squash & onions and the lentils. Add a good teaspoon of cumin (adjust to personal taste) and stir gently. Finish off with extra virgin olive oil and some freshly squeezed lemon. Season with salt. Enjoy!

Notes:

I have read all sorts of things around lentil to water ratio. For firm, plump lentils, I use a 1:2 ratio (lentil:water). If you like them a little mushier, use a 1:3 ratio.

You can eat this salad warm or allow the lentils and butternut squash to completely cool down before adding them to the remaining ingredients.

Of course, you can also switch the butternut squash for pumpkin, and I'm certain cilantro for parsley would work just as well!

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ABOUT THIS BLOG

I started Swirl & Scramble because ever since I was a child I enjoyed transforming my kitchen dreams into a reality. Whether it be spontaneous culinary improvisation or well kept family secrets, from savoury to sweet, I needed a place to capture and share these moments. I'm a a curious self-taught cook but have had some basic knowledge at the prestigious Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne and an incredible training experience in the kitchens of the lavish Hotel de Crillon in Paris, France.

I've lived in Greece, Switzerland, France and am now in the NYC area which is a real treat for a culinary lover like myself. In the meantime, I try to travel as much as I can. Most of my travel photography is on my Flickr stream.

You may notice that many of my recipes are of Mediterranean or Middle Eastern influence...the fact is that these origins run in the family and I pretty much grew up on olive oil, onions and garlic!

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Photography is done by myself, MariannaF, unless otherwise stated.

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